The Fire Within Us
by pingo1387
Summary: The bond of brotherhood. Inspired by "The Waves."


"There's a burning inside of us," said Luffy, "more than the sting of the alcohol on our tongues."

"It's like a fire," said Ace. "Like a fire that never-ever goes out."

"It's always warm," said Sabo. "Even at night, when we are under the blankets. Even when the bathwater gets cold."

"When Luffy is drowning, the burning dims," said Ace.

"And when we pull him out, it's hot, so hot," said Sabo.

"It burns even when we are apart," said Luffy. "And when I say, 'Ace, Sabo, look at me,' they feel it burn brighter, and hotter."

"It burns even when we are apart," said Ace. "And when I say, 'Sabo, Luffy, look at me,' they feel it burn hot and bright."

"It burns even when we are apart," said Sabo. "And when I say, 'Ace, Luffy, look at me,' they feel it burn hotter, and bright."

"There's trouble," said Luffy. "The fire is going dim. We're hurt."

"There's trouble," said Ace. "Luffy has fainted, and so has his fire. But the air is so hot, and we can't see. It hurts."

"There's trouble," said Sabo. "Luffy is fading. What should we do?"

"The fire is okay," said Ace. "We are alive. Our fire is alive."

"I can't open my eyes," said Luffy. "But I can feel it. The fire. It's hot again. We are alive."

"I know I am doing the right thing," said Sabo. "This is something I must do, alone. Ace! Luffy! Look at me!"

"The fire burns so bright," said Luffy.

"The fire burns so hot," said Ace.

"But something's wrong," said Luffy. "It's gone dim, like part of it has gone out forever."

"But something's wrong," said Ace. "Sabo isn't here anymore."

"He said, 'Look at me,'" said Luffy.

"He said, 'I'll be fine,'" said Ace.

"He lied," said Luffy.

"And now his fire has gone out," said Ace.

"Forever," said Luffy.

"Forever," said Ace.

"Ace promises he will never let his fire die," said Luffy. "Ace always keeps his promises."

"Luffy is too young to understand," said Ace, "that promises like that can't be kept."

"Whenever I'm lonely, I call out to Ace, and he's by my side," said Luffy. "Ace will never call out to me, but whenever he is lonely, I go by his side anyway."

"I never say a word, but Luffy understands," said Ace. "He always understands."

"I see Ace cry more than he wants me to," said Luffy. "Sometimes I get lost in the woods, and the animals and trees beat me up. The fire dims when that happens, and I come home."

"He is hurt, always hurt, but alive, always alive," said Ace. "But to feel our fire dim again is sometimes more than we can handle."

"Ace is always burning bright," said Luffy, "and he never makes me cry. I'm sorry I make him cry. He doesn't know that I'm tough, and I won't let the fire go out, ever."

"It's not Luffy's fault he makes me worry," said Ace. "It's natural to worry, after Sabo. Maybe I'm too weak to worry like this. Maybe the fire isn't bright enough."

"Ace is leaving," said Luffy. "But the fire is still burning."

"I'm sailing away," said Ace. "I see Luffy on the shore, waving. Sabo! Luffy! Look at me!"

"The fire burns bright, and hot," said Luffy. "Like Sabo is burning again. Like nothing happened."

"But then it dims again," said Ace. "And it's back to normal."

"But it isn't normal," said Luffy. "It will never be normal again."

"The fire burns, even while I gather a crew and fight," said Ace.

"It burns even when Ace isn't here," said Luffy.

"The Devil Fruit I eat is disgusting," said Ace. "But I know what power I gain from it."

"So he can remember what it was like to have Sabo," said Luffy.

"So I can show the world the fire within us," said Ace.

"I'm setting sail now," said Luffy. "I'll have a crew of my own, and I'll be the best captain ever. Ace! Sabo! Look at me!"

"The fire burns hot and bright," said Ace. "Like Sabo is burning again. Like nothing happened."

"But then it dims again," said Luffy. "And it's back to normal."

"But it isn't normal," said Ace. "It will never be normal again."

"My crew is the best," said Luffy. "They can do everything I can't do, and I will be the fire that protects them."

"My captain is the strongest," said Ace. "He is the father I never had, and I will be the fire that protects him."

"Sometimes the fire dims," said Luffy, "but it burns bright again soon. I have stopped crying when it happens, and I never could find an answer when my friends asked me what was wrong, for how could I begin to explain the fire within us?"

"And sometimes the fire dims," said Ace, "but I have long since stopped crying, and I only worry when it is dim for a long, long time."

"But I always bounce back," said Luffy. "Ace doesn't need to worry about me, and I shouldn't worry about him. He made a promise."

"We're together for the first time in years," said Ace. "Luffy's tall, and strong."

"Ace's powers are amazing," said Luffy. "He's incredible."

"Sabo! Look at us!" said Ace.

"Sabo! Look at us!" said Luffy.

"The fire burns hotter," said Ace.

"The fire burns brighter," said Luffy.

"Like Sabo is burning again," said Ace.

"Like nothing happened," said Luffy.

"But then it dims again, and it's back to normal," said Ace.

"But it isn't normal," said Luffy.

"It will never be normal again," said Ace.

"Ace gives me a special card," said Luffy. "He tells me it will bring us together again."

"I do not give him the card for it to burn," said Ace. "I give it to him because the fire ties us together, but the card gives us directions."

"But it burns anyway," said Luffy. "I feel the fire start to dim, and it grows dimmer and dimmer, but I do not worry. And then I look at the card, and I find out what it's for."

"He starts to worry," said Ace. "I'm sorry, so sorry. Now it's my fault the fire is so dim for so long."

"They want to put out the fire," said Luffy. "I won't let them. I worry, and worry, and worry. And the fire grows ever dimmer."

"Luffy holds on for us," said Ace. "The cell is so cold, but the fire is still hot."

"I miss him at every turn," said Luffy. "But he is alive. The fire tells me that, and the card tells me where to go."

"The battlefield is a theater," said Ace, "and Luffy is the star."

"Now, when I'm hit, when I fall," said Luffy, "the fire flickers, and I want to say I'm sorry."

"I know his feelings, and he knows mine," said Ace.

"I know Ace forgives me, and our fire stays burning," said Luffy.

"The fire burns hot again," said Ace. "We are free."

"I thought nothing was hotter than our fire," said Luffy, "but it turns out that magma is."

"The fire is slowly going out," said Ace. "And now it is my fault. It is all my fault."

"Ace breaks his promise," said Luffy. "He's a liar, just like Sabo."

"I tell Luffy to keep the fire going for us," said Ace. "He's crying, and he's holding me. He's holding onto the fire."

"But it's too late," said Luffy. "The fire has gone out at last."

"I'm waking up," said Sabo. "I feel something inside me waking up, too."

"I'm waking up," said Luffy. "I feel something inside me waking up, too."

"It is our fire," said Sabo. "Ace has gone out. But I have relighted, and Luffy has forever burned."

"It is our fire," said Luffy. "Could I be keeping it alive all by myself? Do I carry Ace's and Sabo's will, now that they have gone out?"

"I won't say it," said Sabo. "Not yet. I have to say sorry. I have to say thank you."

"The fire burns," said Luffy. "And I wonder if it's because I'm reaching for Ace's memory, for the power he used to show the world our fire."

"He's here at last," said Sabo. "We are together again. He's crying, and I tell him I'm sorry."

"He's sorry for letting his fire go out," said Luffy.

"And I tell him thank you," said Sabo.

"And he thanks me for keeping the fire alive," said Luffy.

"Thank you for saving us," said Sabo.

"Thank you," said Luffy.

"I reach for the power to show the world the fire within us," said Sabo.

"I know he will succeed," said Luffy.

"Ace! Luffy! Look at me!" said Sabo.

"The fire burns hotter and brighter," said Luffy. "Like Ace is burning again. Like nothing happened."

"But then it dims again," said Sabo. "And it's back to normal."

"But it isn't normal," said Luffy. "It will never be normal again."


End file.
